A Place For You Here
by NatureGirl52180
Summary: A week after the events of "The Stampede", Luke is reaping one final consequence in his dealings with Oliver Blackwood. Fortunately, he's got family to help him.


_**Author's Note:** So, ever see that episode of the Golden Girls where Blanche has been up for three days writing her novel and thinks the egg yolks in the baggie on the counter are a little bag of sunshine? That's where we're at, people!_

_I just finished up re-watching the first season of Snowy River: The McGregor Saga on Amazon Prime and this plot bunny had me firmly in its gnashing little teefs. So, now I'm putting it out there for the rest of the world. Be free! I hope someone enjoys it._

_I adored this show when I was younger and Luke is still my favorite character. I can remember just wanting to slap his ass silly for being such a damned little troll and then finally, FINALLY he gets some sense knocked into him (sorta, kinda literally)._

_And then season two comes along and rips your still beating heart from your chest. sigh It always ate me up that we didn't get to see too much interaction between Luke and the rest of his family. The character deserved that, I think. See proof below._

_I think some of you lunatics may follow me as an author (which I thank you for, but you have dubious taste at best 😊), and if you do, you might be confused. Spoiler: no transforming robots. Hello from the other side! (See what I did there?) My tastes run a broad spectrum, what can I say?_

_Well, if I didn't scare you off in the Author's Note, please do read and let me know what you think._

_Thanks so much!_

* * *

Luke McGregor leaned on the rail of the porch and watched the rider approach. It had been nearly a week since his uncle, Matt McGregor, had laid out one of the most powerful men in the territory on the steps of his own mansion. Together, he and Luke had left Oliver Blackwood sprawled in the dirt, bleeding from a split lip. Luke had to give his uncle credit: it was a helluva right hook. He'd received and thrown enough punches in his lifetime to know.

Luke had known that Blackwood wouldn't be able to resist one more twist of the knife after that insult. The terms of the foreclosure on his property had been very clear. Nothing was to leave the property- furnishings, vehicles, or livestock.

As the bay horse trotted down the lane towards Langara, Luke recognized the rider from his days at Balmoral. "Afternoon, Tom."

The weathered, middle aged man reined the horse to a stop near the hitching post. "Luke."

"What brings you out this way?" The question was unnecessary. He was fully aware why  
Tom had been sent. But it paid to move the conversation along. There was no sense in dragging it out.

Tom's voice held a note of apology, clearly not pleased with the task he had been sent to complete. "Mr. Blackwood finished the assessment of your holdings at the estate. Everything was accounted for except….

The man paused, looking as if he half-expected Luke to fill in the blank. Not in the mood to be quite that helpful, Luke merely stared back at him unwaveringly.

Tom sighed. "He wants your horse, Luke. The buckskin stock horse you've been ridin'."

Luke smiled humorlessly as he studied his folded hands. "Is Mr. Blackwood too busy to come collect himself?" He looked up. "Or too afraid?"

Tom shifted uneasily in the saddle, unsure what to say. Blackwood wasn't the most beloved employer in the district, but he did at least supply steady and decent earnings. Any remark made against him, even to an adversary, held the potential of getting back to the boss's ear. Retribution would be swift and Tom would be packing his gear.

Sighing, Luke relented. He bore Tom no ill-will. And there was no point in making him pay for Luke's mistakes. He pushed away from the railing and headed down the porch stairs. "Give me a minute."

Movement in the corner of his eye caught his attention; a flash of blonde hair disappearing into the house. Danni had apparently overheard the exchange and come out to investigate. Unfortunately, her usual tact wouldn't work. Her father was at Kathleen O'Neill's for supper, so asking him to intercede on Luke's behalf wasn't an option. Though it caused him a small amount of guilt, Luke was almost glad his uncle wasn't around. The man would undoubtedly offer him the money to buy the horse and grateful though he was, there was only so much more his stubborn pride could take. Luke McGregor had made his own bed and he was man enough to lie in it.

A chorus of soft nickers greeted him as he entered the shed. The McGregor's had planned an early start the next morning to muster any remaining stray cattle Langara's more remote corners. An evening in the stable meant their mounts would be well-rested and readily to hand when they set out before daybreak.

The buckskin was tethered near Rob's tall bay horse, contentedly chewing through the hay in her manger. She looked up and pricked her ears at his approach, watching him with intelligent, liquid brown eyes. When he reached out to rub her forehead, she stepped into his hand, closing her eyes and pausing in her chewing to enjoy the touch.

Victoria had never understood why he favored the stocky buckskin over the finer horses he'd purchased during his brief stint as a wealthy gold tycoon. At first, he had made it a point to ride the mare around town out of pure spite. He had beaten the great Matt McGregor to the punch and purchased the beautiful mare before the Man from Snowy River could buy her for his eldest son, Colin. It gave him no end of joy to remind Matt that Luke had deprived him of something he wanted.

Over time, though, he found himself growing fond of the mare. She wasn't flighty or prone to spook. She was steady, sure-footed, quick off his leg, and fleet when she needed to be.

Truth be told, she was a lot like the horses he was used to a lifetime ago in Wyoming. The sensible type that worked all day without complaint and asked only a kind word and a gentle pat in return. Even her color reminded him of home. He'd taken to calling her "Autumn" since her coat reminded her of the prairie grass of the plains right before the snow came down the mountains.

And as everything else had fallen away, the mare had been there for him.

Her breath was warm against his hand as he reached for the bight of the lead rope and pulled it loose from the post. He had lost everything in the last few weeks: his fortune, his love, his home, and very nearly his life. But this loss would sting the most. Of all of the things he had possessed, this mare had seemed the very most to belong with him. At the very least, she was one of the few, precious things he had left.

As he walked the mare from the shed, he wondered at the emptiness filling him. When had lost those other things, he had the anger to hide behind. To spur him on. The anger at his uncle for taking what had rightfully belonged to Luke's father. Everything unfair and unjust in the world was Matt McGregor's fault.

And then Jack Kelly had revealed the truth: that Alec McGregor wasn't the man Luke had thought him to be. That Matt McGregor wasn't the monster that Luke thought him to be -that he _needed _him to be in order for the rest of the world to make sense.

He had been a fool, blinded by hate and pride to the point of digging himself in to a hole so deep with Oliver Blackwood, he would never see the light of day again.

And now, as he parted with the last, and one of the dearest things he had owned, he knew there was no one to blame but himself. Blackwood didn't want this horse. She had no real lineage to speak of. He would auction her off with the rest of Luke's worldly possessions to cover the debts. Taking her away was one last chance to lord something over him, and the chance to lord anything over a McGregor couldn't be squandered.

Luke schooled his face into what he thought was a mask of neutrality. Even still, Tom gave him a sympathetic look as Luke handed him the rope. "Sorry, mate."

Luke gave the mare a final pat. "Bye, girl."

And with that, Tom turned his horse and the buckskin, with one final look at Luke, obediently followed, picking up a trot beside the bay. He stood and watched for a moment as her coat glittered gold in the sunset light. And then they passed through the tree line and were lost from sight.

* * *

The axe cleaved through the wood, sending sections flying across the ground. Luke reached down and grabbed one of the sections, positioning it once again on its end on the knotty piece of pine he was using for a splitting block. Grabbing the axe, he swung again, splitting the log into more manageable pieces for the cook stove.

The physical work was therapy. Luke was insistent on earning his keep but had baulked when Matt had asked him to help Danni and Rob search for a few missing head of cattle out on the escarpment. The McGregor's had many fine horses to choose from and Luke knew he was welcome to ride any of them. However, none of them suited him right down to the ground the way his mare had. He'd give himself a few more days to mourn the loss before he ordered himself to get over it.

Aside from which, hours searching for missing cattle gave a man too much time to think. The sale of his house and holdings was today. To their credit, his uncle and cousins had tactfully dodged the topic, but still word got around. People had been coming from all over the territory to gleefully profit from his misfortune. The vultures were in town to pick over the bones of Luke McGregor.

He had been going at it a little too hard and paused to catch his breath. Truth be told, he couldn't give less of a damn about the carts or saddles or the paintings by artists whose names he couldn't pronounce. His thoughts strayed back to his mare and he closed his eyes briefly and sent up a silent prayer that someone would see in her what he did. She was a smart and talented animal with a lot of heart. Someone would see that…

Unbidden, the image of her hitched to an overburdened cart under the lash of a whip flashed before his eyes. Growling, he grabbed another log from the dwindling pile and hefted it on the stump. There was nothing to do about it now. What's done is done and he had work to do.

He had dispatched two more logs before he heard his name being called. Stopping mid-swing, he turned, surprised to see his uncle crossing the yard with a glass of lemonade in each hand. Matt had taken a string of six horses to the blacksmith in town that morning. Was he back already? Or had Luke been at it that long?

The gentle smile crinkled the corners of his eyes as he approached. "Looks like you could use a break, son."

Almost out of reflex, Luke felt the retort about not being Matt McGregor's son rise in his throat. He caught it though, instead looking down at his sweat-drenched shirt. "It's getting a little hot out."

"Just a bit." Matt offered him one of the glasses before settling on one of the logs Luke had yet to loose his venom upon.

Luke perched himself on the chopping block and took a long, slow sip. It was hard not to throw back the whole glass at once. Thinking back, he realized he hadn't visited well for a drink since he started that morning.

After a few moments of quiet, Matt finally spoke again. "Mrs. Carney asked me to tell you that she was giving apple pie a go for dessert tonight. Thought that might pique your American appetite. Maybe have a couple bites of supper instead of just pushing it around the plate."

Luke couldn't help a quiet breath of laughter. Mrs. Carney, the keeper of the house, was a no-nonsense kind of lady. But Luke was quickly learning that her bark was worse than her bite- for the most part. "It's not her cooking, I promise."

"I know. But she does take offense, regardless." Matt looked down at his glass. "You've been off your feed since Oliver sent his man to collect that horse."

Luke fell silent. He had been far too independent for far too long to that easily open up to someone. His own father, loved him though Luke did, spent most of his time at the bottom of a bottle of whiskey and didn't have the knack for heartfelt chats. Thus, Luke had never felt the need for them himself.

Matt didn't let the uncomfortable silence deter him. "Seen a lot of horses in my life. Lot of 'em good, solid animals. But every now and then, one just gets under your skin. And you can't shake them. Not for the rest of your life."

After a beat, he sighed inwardly. _What the hell? _He might as well try to talk to his uncle. After all, the man was still claiming him as family despite his actions since arriving in Patterson's Ridge. Ironically, the one person he had spent a lifetime mistrusting was the only one who hadn't been trying use him for his own personal gain. From the start, he had only had Luke's best interests at heart.

Maybe it was time to get to know the Man from Snow River a little better. "What horse can't you shake?"

A sad, half smile graced Matt's face. "Charlie. That horse knew what a mob of brumbies was going to do before they did. All you needed to do was let him have his head and stay in the saddle. He'd go all day for you. Didn't know when to quit."

Luke nodded, taking a sip of his lemonade. "Was he the one that you ran down the colt on?"

"Yeah," Matt chuckled a little, seemingly lost a little in the memory. "When that mob went down the side of that mountain, he didn't even pull up. Those ears went flat and he picked up steam. I didn't have much choice in the matter, actually. Down we went and never once did he put a foot wrong. Still not sure how we made it alive."

Luke couldn't help a wry smile. "I thought you were cracking a stock whip all the way down."

"I was." Matt came back quickly. "The only thing I could think to do to keep myself busy and outta ole Charlie's way until we got to the bottom."

Luke shook his head. "That's not the impression I got listening to that poem for all those years."

"Son," Matt pinned him with a significant look, "I have always maintained that that poem should be called 'The Horse from Snowy River'."

At that Luke laughed outright. Not for the first time since Jack's revelation, he thought about how wrong he had been about the Man from Snowy River. Even from the first day in Patterson's Ridge, Matt had not been what he expected. At the time, he had crowed to anyone who would listen that Matt McGregor was an overblown buffoon that chance had unfairly gifted fortune to. Not a legend to be worshipped, but just a man.

As it turned out, he had been right all along and the first to admit it would be Matt McGregor. After all this time, Luke was finally breaking him down, not by force, but by talking over a glass of lemonade.

He didn't ask, knowing his uncle would offer when he was ready. "Old Charlie kept right on working right into his twenties." Matt sighed. "Broke my heart when the colic took him."

"I'm sorry," Luke offered reflexively. He didn't know why, but felt it needed to be said.

Matt smiled again. "The life of cattleman. Ups and downs. Come on, son. I'll give you a hand putting this wood up."

Each of them had just gathered up their first load of wood when Danni's voice carried around the corner of the house. "Luke? Luke! Where are you?"

Concern and confusion blossomed on Matt's face as he dropped wood on the stack. "She and Rob shouldn't be back for a couple of hours yet."

Luke raised his voice and called back to her. "Out back by the wood pile."

In the next instant, Danni came flying around the house in her duster and hat flushed and excited. "Luke! Hi Dad!"

"Are you all right, love?" Matt asked as his daughter ran up and grabbed Luke by the sleeve.

"I'm fine! And Robbie's fine." The young woman practically danced as she began to pull Luke behind her. "Luke, come with me."

Confused, Luke stumbled along behind his cousin. "Danni, where are we going?"

Rolling her eyes, the girl gave him a look that clearly told him he was asking too many questions. "It's a surprise. Now close your eyes."

"I'm not closing my eyes."

"Just do it."

"No."

"Come ooooooon."

"All right, all right," After sparing a glare for his snickering uncle, Luke relented to her playful whining. "My eyes are closed."

"Are you sure?"

With an air of forced patience, he replied. "Yes, Danni."

Suddenly, there were a pair of strong hands on his shoulders, guiding him as Danni continued to tug on his arm. "Come on, son. Let's see what the excitement is all about."

Not one for either surprises or relinquishing any sort of control to anyone, Luke found the next 45 seconds or so particularly trying. He wouldn't have complied with the request for just anyone. But Danni held a special place in his heart. The sweet girl had befriended him quickly even though he had made his intentions to ruin her father quite clear.

Even still, he was glad for Matt's steadying hand on his shoulder because he was pretty sure Danni would have run him into the corner of the woodshed in her exuberance.

He was certain they were near the corral in front of the house when they stopped. "Can I open my eyes now?"

"Hang on."

Danni left him and Luke sighed heavily, but Matt gave him a reassuring pat on the shoulder. "Hang on son. It's worth it. Promise."

"Aaaaaaannnnd. There." Danni was now across the yard a bit. "All right, Luke open your eyes!"

For a second, his brain couldn't quite reconcile what he was looking at. Danni was standing beside Rob, still mounted on his horse. Standing beside them was a very familiar buckskin mare with a floppy red ribbon tied to her halter.

After a few seconds, Danni couldn't stand it any longer, "Well?"

Still in disbelief, Luke started walking towards the horse. "How-how did you….?"

Luke turned to look at Matt, but the man smiled and shook his head. "I had nothing to do with it."

"It was Rob's idea." Danni said proudly. "We all chipped in some of our own money. Colin and Emily, too. We went to the sale!"

Rob reached down to hand the mare's lead to Luke. He took it and looked back and forth skeptically between his cousins. "Blackwood let you buy her?"

Rob scoffed as he dismounted. "Nah, mate. We didn't even try that. We waited until she sold and the buyer took her out."

"We followed him out and offered to buy her." Danni chimed in.

The mare nudged Luke in the chest and without thinking he reached out to rub her forehead. "And he just agreed to sell her to you?"

The siblings shared a significant look before Rob spoke up. "We were very persuasive."

Suspicious, Matt crossed his arms and looked at his children. "How persuasive?"

"We didn't do anything illegal, Dad."

Matt cocked an eyebrow at his son. "That's comforting."

Danni had put on her best butter-wouldn't-melt-in-my-mouth face. "Well, we didn't. And the man got his money back and then some."

At this point, Rob was having a hard time keeping a straight face. "He just might be under the impression that Luke is a ten-year-old girl who has always wanted a pretty buckskin mare."

Luke could only manage a disbelieving "What?" as Matt gawked at his offspring.

"We didn't lie!" Danni was quick to point out.

"Yeah," Rob turned to Luke, "No offense, we started to tell him the truth, but we realized that you weren't pathetic enough to get the man to sell."

"Thank you." Luke said dryly.

Danni piped up again. "So, we told him to imagine that he was a little girl, new to country, all the way from America, with no friends, and all you wanted was a beautiful buckskin mare. We didn't ACTUALLY tell him that's who the horse was for. We just let him think that."

Matt looked back and forth between them. "And that cockamamie plan actually worked?"

Rob chuckled a bit. "I dunno, Dad. Truth be told, we dogged him halfway to Melbourne. I honestly think we just wore him down."

Matt shook his head. "Rob, what have you been teaching your sister?"

Rob had the nerve to look affronted. "Horse trading, Dad."

And with that, Luke was no more good. He leaned against the mare's neck, laughing. Behind him, he heard Matt's rich laughter mixing with Rob's and Danni's pealing giggles overall.

When they finally managed to get control of themselves, Luke hugged Danni and whispered his thanks in her ear. The girl squeezed him tightly before letting go.

Rob stepped in to offer his hand. Luke took it gratefully. "I'll pay you all back."

Rob shrugged. "No need. We're family."

"She's a present, Luke." Danni smiled softly. "We all wanted you to have her."

"Still going to make it up to you, cos." Luke winked at Danni as he threw an arm around the mare's neck.

Matt clearing his throat caused all three of them to look at him. He had stern look on his face, but a glint of mischief in his eye. "You can start by putting that animal to good use and rolling your bones outta bed early tomorrow to help Rob and Danni get those strays off the escarpment."

Luke nodded with a smile. "Yes, sir."

As Danni and Rob gathered their own horses, Luke fell in step beside Matt, leading his- _his_\- horse. "I want to thank you."

"I really had nothing to do with it, Luke." Matt said gently.

"I know." Luke stopped and looked the Man from Snowy River in the eye. "But, thank you. For letting me be here."

Matt put a hand on his shoulder. "Thank you for being here."


End file.
